Man gets four years in jail for stealing gas cylinder

A 32-year-old man has been sent to four years in jail by a Delhi court for stealing a gas cylinder from a delivery boy after poisoning him

New Delhi: A 32-year-old man has been sent to four years in jail by a Delhi court for stealing a gas cylinder from a delivery boy after poisoning him.

Additional Sessions Judge Atul Kumar Garg handed down the jail term to Delhi resident Deepak, who made the victim, a delivery boy working in a gas agency, consume sedative-laced drink and stole a cylinder from him.

"Considering the entirety of the circumstances in which the offence was committed, I am not inclined to extend the benefit of probation to the convict. Hence, I sentence the convict to undergo four years rigorous imprisonment for the offence and Rs 3,000 fine," the judge said.

The court, while holding Deepak guilty of offences under sections 328 (causing hurt by means of poison), 379 (theft) and 411 (dishonestly receiving stolen property) of the IPC, relied on the testimonies of victim Sushant and his colleague who had apprehended the convict and lodged the complaint.

"There is no defence of accused Deepak that the cylinder belonged to him. He was apprehended at the spot by prosecution witness no. 1 Om Parkash (victim's colleague), who had found Sushant in a semi-conscious condition. He apprehended him and informed the police," the court said.

It noted that the victim had identified Deepak in court and there was nothing in his cross examination to prove that accused was falsely implicated.

"Testimony of Parkash and Sushant are coherent and firm. There is no reason to disbelieve them," it said. According to prosecution, on May 23, 2012, Sushant was on duty to deliver gas cylinders in Subhadra Colony in north-west Delhi when Deepak made him consume sedative laced cold drink and ran away with one cylinder but was apprehended by Om Parkash who was also on duty with the victim.During the trial, Deepak denied the allegations and claimed he was falsely implicated.